Grocery Items Unavailable in the US

[trailmix 77]

So that made me go read some labels, it's in the ice cream and the cereal etc etc etc.

ho hum.

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Took me forever to find this thread, but I cant find Shreddies cereal in any grocery store here in Georgia. Is Shreddies cereal a Canadian thing? I'm really craving them badly. I'd ask my mom to ship me some down from Canada, but she's in a crabby mood cause she found out I was pregnant and I won't be "there with her" for everything. Anyone know where I can get me some?

Mary

I've found a reasonable substitute for Shreddies is Multi Grain Chex.

Actually, I have found another shreddies alternative as well- it is called 'wheat squares' and is the house brand available at Aldi's - Millville. Actually, ALL of the Aldi's Millville brand cereals are excellent . When my Dad visited last Spring, he discovered he preferred their version of mini-wheats over what he was buying in Canada and even took some home with him. So, for Father's Day I sent him 2 boxes and said it was as close as I could get to serving him breakfast in bed:-).

So that made me go read some labels, it's in the ice cream and the cereal etc etc etc.

ho hum.

What got to me is when I saw it had also been added to some cartons of cream! I read every label now and take nothing for granted. It is especially prevalent in bread - only a few brands don't use it, even the ones advertised as 'healthy'.

Edited April 30, 2008 by Kathryn41

[TheATeam 0]

Yeah, the HFCS in bread really surprises me. It makes me wish that I was back home so I could read a bread label there and see where/if there's a lot of sugar in it! I may just ask my mom to read off her bread label the next time I talk to her! I can't stomach bread that has HFCS in it though. It's WAY too sweet. I like sweet bread if it's like cinnamon buns or something, not on my toast!

Oh, and sweet butter? What's up with that? I definitely don't like it. I have to make sure to get salted butter that's not sweet the next time I go to the store.

[DeadPoolX 9]

yes, sugar and HFCS are bad for you... but I think HFCS are worse then plain old sugar...

Yes, that's correct. I think Kathryn has a link to the data somewhere but, essentially, HFCS somehow triggers the brain into thinking the body is still hungry so you end up eating more than you require. In addition, it is much sweeter than regular sugar, so that's why everything tastes so sweet here. Blech.

While there have been some correlations been weight gain and HFCS, I think it's also important to remember that correlation does not equal causation. In other words, just because something looks like it might be, that doesn't mean it necessarily is. The scientific critics of HFCS have readily admitted that the problems associated with HFCS isn't so much the product itself, but the eating habits of Americans in general. People in the U.S. like to eat and drink unusually large portions and since many items have HFCS in them, them can cause some weight gain over time. The researchers in these studies said that had "regular sugar" been used in place of HFCS, the same would most likely occur. It's difficult to tell, however, since countries that rely less on HFCS and more on "regular sugar" take in smaller portions than the United States.

As far as HFCS keeping your appetite going, I've never heard that before and never seen it in any documented scientific literature. That doesn't mean it couldn't be true, of course, but there might be other factors at work here as well. In addition, the type of HFCS decides how sweet it is. HFCS 55 is just as sweet as "regular sugar" so there shouldn't be a noticeable difference; HFCS 90 on the other hand is sweeter while HFCS 42 isn't as sweet as "regular sugar." Which variety of HFCS is used probably depends on the type of food you're eating and the overall cost of implementing it at the time.

All in all, I stand by assertion that neither HFCS nor sugar is of much good to you except in moderation. It seems to me that's the best way to handle it.

Edited April 30, 2008 by DeadPoolX

[PfcsBaby 0]

Thanks everyone. I have an Aldi's just down the road from me and I like shopping there as much as I can. It is way more cheaper than the other grocery stores. Looks like I started a whole new thread on HFCS lol. At 1st I was like..."what the hell is HFCS?... until I kept reading lol. I think I was having a brain fart or something lol.

Mary

[badspellor 0]

Just looked at the spreadsheet for the first time. Very cool! I've got some updates:

Toiletries & Pharmacy:

Gravol - comparable product would be Dramamine

Colgate Total - comment - available in the states but doesn't taste the same/as good!

Robaxacet - comparable product would be Robaxin (prescription only) + acetaminophen

Snacks:

Excel Gum

Potato Chips - ALL DRESSED!!

(I've seen dill pickle and ketchup around but definitely not as readily available)

Meats:

Peameal Bacon - comparable product would be Canadian Bacon

Pickled Wieners

Salt Beef

Salt Fish

Scrunchions

Seal Flipper Pie

Drinks:

Beer -

Black Horse

Dominion Ale

Any Quidi Vidi brew (QV light, 1892)

Alexander Keith's

Strongbow

Pineapple Crush - similar product Jarritos Pina available at Mexican Convenience stores

Five Alive not in concentrate (i.e. cans, 2L cartons) or any other variety besides original

Cleaning Products:

ABC

Javex - same as Chlorox

That's all for now. I'm sure I'll think of more later! This will be useful for cross border grocery runs!

[MrsCat 6]

I have one to add, cause it makes me cry a little each time I see them in the store and realize that I'm not going to be able to eat a 200 calorie cookie anytime I need a fix.

Dad's Goodie Ring Cookies......

I suppose the Dad's Cookies (oatmeal etc) are not available too.

[Marilyn. 340]

as anyone seen Mr. Big bars down here?? I really miss those... . and my hubby has never heard of them ....

[DeadPoolX 9]

While visiting in Canada, I was very surprised that Naproxen (most commonly sold as Aleve) wasn't available in Canada unless I got a prescription for it. Naproxen has been an over-the-counter drug in the U.S. since 1994, so I was somewhat taken aback by this.

Since I don't live up there, I probably haven't noticed other differences. In fact, I wouldn't have normally known about Naproxen either, but my head was hurting a lot one day (it was, naturally, the same day my wife had wanted to go see a live performance) so I figured I'd stop into a London Drugs and pick up some Aleve real quick. I was soon surprised when I didn't find any on the store shelves and asked the pharmacist about it.

[Reba 2]

Meats:

Peameal Bacon - comparable product would be Canadian Bacon

The "Canadian Style" bacon in the US is nowhere near the same as peameal/back bacon in Canada. Its really just a glorified ham.

The Canadian Bacon story

Around the turn of the last century (or as they say, "during the war years"), England had a pork shortage. They imported side bacon from Canada, smoked it and termed it "Wiltshire Sides" in England. Due to this event Canadian bacon was made famous. Over time the United States believed that Canadian bacon was smoked back bacon although true Canadian bacon is not smoked. Our Canadian product is classified by the USDA as uncooked Canadian bacon and is Canadian #1 peameal back bacon.

The peameal bacon in Canada (which is actually rolled in corn meal now instead of peameal, but habits die hard ) is brined, not smoked. "Canadian Style" bacon in the US is smoked the same as they do their hams.

[Leafgal 3]

How about Bran Flakes (in Canada it is Quaker product) for making bran muffins. Finally found 1 kind at Harris Teeter but it has to be refrigerated as soon as opened and it is in a jar. And how about Crunchie chocolate bars. I love choc bars but not as much here as at home since most of them here are made with Hershey's chocolate. I recently had someone get me a few choc bars from one of the bases here as they carry a lot of British products, so anyone who has access to a base might find some of these products.

[michellea 0]

Red River Cereal or anything like it.

I miss it.

[~Laura and Nick~ 5]

Red River Cereal or anything like it.

I miss it.

I'd mail you some! I had red river this morning!!!

[waterpupy 5]

I just got home from the local grocery store. One of the things I wanted to buy was regular iced tea mix, not lemon flavoured or raspberry flavour but just plain ice tea. ARGH!!

I'd kill for some good old Goodhost iced tea mix right now

[Cassie 8]

as anyone seen Mr. Big bars down here?? I really miss those... . and my hubby has never heard of them ....

as soon as I got off the plane at Pearson 2 weeks ago, I made a beeline to one of those little magazine/snack stores they have all over the airport and promptly bought a Mr. Big bar. Those suckers are soooooooo good!

I brought back a bag of ketchup chips so that my hubby can try them out.